Hi, I fitted a strut bar to my B today. This wasn't that easy as although the bar was manufactured for the car, It wasn't a perfect fit exactly. I finally got it in but now the bonnet does not close properly. It is a really tight fit and pops the top of the bonnet away from the car. Has anyone got any advice? Please.

i had to remove a plastic clip that holds some small blue pipes and left it on the side of the bonnet seal and when i closed the bonnet it popped it up, luckily didn't bend anything so.... are you sure you've not left anything lying around!!!!

Sparco Strut Brace

No. I can't see anything left out but I'll check again. Might have to take it to a garage. I haven't managed one thing yet without needing help. Thanks.

Out of interest, what strut bar is it? I no when i fitted an OMP one to the seicento i had to cut a bracket but it was never as bad as that.

Mark

Not sure what make. I'll have to check. Its chrome.

There must be something amiss. If the strutbrace was made for the B then it should not foul anything, especially the bonnet
There are different strutbraces available e.g. for ABS and non-ABS Barchettas.

superspotter said:

There must be something amiss. If the strutbrace was made for the B then it should not foul anything, especially the bonnet
There are different strutbraces available e.g. for ABS and non-ABS Barchettas.

Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

The yellow peril is right, as long as you have the correct brace you should have no issues, are you sure that you have to right one for your car? And are you sure that you have not tried to fit it right to left instead of left to right?

Post piccies if you can, that will help!

The bar looks just like this picture but this isn't my car – just a pic I found. This strut bar incident is upsetting – I had to drive to work with the bonnet just on the catch rather than pressed down properly.Nice slow drive to work.

You should remove it until the problem is found/sorted.

Think I'll have to

That is REALLY odd, I cannot figure out how it's interfering with the bonnet.......what part of the brace is hitting the bonnet?

Take a piccie of yours as its fitted now and post it up, we may be able to help with a piccie....

I'll post a pic when I get a chance –*Thanks. I really want the brace to stay in there now but I also want to close the bonnet – its tough.

It does make a huge difference to the handling - once we can see a piccie it might be easier to diagnose..............

Push down on the middle of the bar a little and see if you can flex the strut a bit. I am sure you only need 1mm or so to clear the bonnet. All a bit strange as I have fitted two types of strut and never had a problem. !?!

Thanks guys. I have a pic of the bar now –*a bit blured because I was freezing. I have pushed down on the bar and also hammered the clamp bits at either end to fit better and the bonnet closes much better. I can't recall how much force was needed to close it before now. The bonnet lies flush and does not pop up but there is a beep that I get from my alarm to tell me a door/boot etc is open and that sounds. I think it must not be connecting with a sensor. It is frustrating.

I don't know whether I am imagining it now because I know the brace is in there but the ride does feel slightly improved.

Go round a few bumpy corners at speed and you will hear and feel the difference.

Sounds like you might have to adjust the bonnet alarm switch a little.

Thanks, do you know where it might be located? I think I'm the first to bodge up a strut brace fitting.

It should be close to the main bonnet latch at the front of the car.

Whoa............
If you could push the strutbrace down and it went down, then it is not tight enough in the first place!!!!!
If there is up and down movement as you suggest then the difference you "felt" is most definitely in your head because the strutbrace isnt doing it's job!!
You need to make sure that you have that central adjustment as tight as you can get it otherwise if there is any "give" in the B's body then that would transmit through the slack strutbrace making it an ornament and nothing else

Hmmm, very odd - as the yellow peril pointed out the brace should not have any give in it, looking at the picture (and it may just be a trick of the light) is the right hand side bracket slightly bent? If so that could be 'scewing' the overall seating of the brace.

Try tightening it up and see how it sits........

As for the bonnet alarm switch its usually in the cross member next to the bonnet catch at the front of the engine....